Meta Platforms is likely to release the latest smart glasses, integrated with the cutting-edge technology, at its annual Connect conference on Wednesday.
a report suggested the new variant of Meta glasses would be a camera-free model amid increasing concerns over the privacy risks linked to wearable AI-powered devices.
It is pertinent to mention Meta has already become an early leading player in the smart glasses industry via strategic partnership with EssilorLuxottica.
Sales of the companies’ smart glasses exceeded seven million last year, giving Meta a strong position in a market that also includes Chinese manufacturers such as RayNeo and Xiaomi.
However, the growing popularity of camera-equipped glasses has significantly raised privacy concerns.
Multiple restaurants, pubs and theaters in the UK have restricted their use over concerns that people could be recorded without their knowledge.
Moreover, Meta continues to face a proposed class-action lawsuit in California alleging that the company misled users regarding privacy protections.
The lawsuit claims human annotators involved in the AI training viewed and labeled footage with private moments.
Meta disputes the allegations and plans to defend itself.
As per The Information, Meta is likely to launch camera-free glasses in two styles, called Clubmaster and Burbank.
Meta is also likely to release the latest variant of its camera-equipped Meta Ray-Ban glasses and a thinner augmented-reality model reportedly code-named Phoenix.
The expected announcements comes after Snap released the details regarding its $2,195 Specs augmented-reality glasses, which are slated to release by the end of this year.
Analysts have questioned whether removing cameras will fully address privacy concerns, as the glasses can still collect audio.
The absence of cameras could also affect demand because photography and video recording are considered the most popular features of existing smart glasses.
